Binary split at picture boundary for image and video coding

ABSTRACT

A video coder may be configured to determine a partitioning for a picture of video data using dual tree partitioning. The video coder may receive a picture of video data, determine a partitioning for the picture of video data using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtree split, and code the partitioned picture.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/971,120, filed Feb. 6, 2020, the entire content of which isincorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to video encoding and video decoding.

BACKGROUND

Digital video capabilities can be incorporated into a wide range ofdevices, including digital televisions, digital direct broadcastsystems, wireless broadcast systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs),laptop or desktop computers, tablet computers, e-book readers, digitalcameras, digital recording devices, digital media players, video gamingdevices, video game consoles, cellular or satellite radio telephones,so-called “smart phones,” video teleconferencing devices, videostreaming devices, and the like. Digital video devices implement videocoding techniques, such as those described in the standards defined byMPEG-2, MPEG-4, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264/MPEG-4, Part 10, Advanced VideoCoding (AVC), ITU-T H.265/High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), andextensions of such standards. The video devices may transmit, receive,encode, decode, and/or store digital video information more efficientlyby implementing such video coding techniques.

Video coding techniques include spatial (intra-picture) predictionand/or temporal (inter-picture) prediction to reduce or removeredundancy inherent in video sequences. For block-based video coding, avideo slice (e.g., a video picture or a portion of a video picture) maybe partitioned into video blocks, which may also be referred to ascoding tree units (CTUs), coding units (CUs) and/or coding nodes. Videoblocks in an intra-coded (I) slice of a picture are encoded usingspatial prediction with respect to reference samples in neighboringblocks in the same picture. Video blocks in an inter-coded (P or B)slice of a picture may use spatial prediction with respect to referencesamples in neighboring blocks in the same picture or temporal predictionwith respect to reference samples in other reference pictures. Picturesmay be referred to as frames, and reference pictures may be referred toas reference frames.

SUMMARY

In general, this disclosure describes techniques for partitioningpictures of video data. In particular, this disclosure describes exampletechniques for determining the availability of binary tree splits forchroma coding blocks. This disclosure also describes example techniquesfor determining a quadtree split for dual tree partitioning. In oneexample, a video coder may determine a quadtree split based on a limitedrange of a minimum quadtree size, such that the maximum value for theminimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold value (TH). The techniquesof this disclosure may enable video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 todetermine partitioning with minimal signaling and without conflictingwith other partitioning requirements. This may provide easier coderimplementation and/or improved coding efficiency.

In one example, this disclosure describes a method of decoding videodata, the method comprising receiving a picture of video data,determining a partitioning for the picture of video data using dual treepartitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimumquadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size isequal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtree split, and decodingthe partitioned picture.

In another example, this disclosure describes an apparatus configured todecode video data, the apparatus comprising a memory configured to storea picture of video data, and one or more processors implemented incircuitry and in communication with the memory, the one or moreprocessors configured to receive the picture of video data, determine apartitioning for the picture of video data using dual tree partitioningfor luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size,wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size is equal to athreshold used for inferring a quadtree split, and decode thepartitioned picture.

In another example, this disclosure describes an apparatus configured todecode video data, the apparatus comprising means for receiving apicture of video data, means for determining a partitioning for thepicture of video data using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks andchroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum valuefor the minimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferringa quadtree split, and means for decoding the partitioned picture.

In another example, this disclosure describes a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, whenexecuted, cause one or more processors of a device configured to decodevideo data to receive the picture of video data, determine apartitioning for the picture of video data using dual tree partitioningfor luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size,wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size is equal to athreshold used for inferring a quadtree split, and decode thepartitioned picture.

In another example, this disclosure describes a method of encoding videodata, the method comprising receiving a picture of video data,partitioning the picture of video data using dual tree partitioning forluma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size, whereina maximum value for the minimum quadtree size is equal to a thresholdused for inferring a quadtree split, and encoding the partitionedpicture.

In another example, this disclosure describes an apparatus configured toencode video data, the apparatus comprising a memory configured to storea picture of video data, and one or more processors implemented incircuitry and in communication with the memory, the one or moreprocessors configured to receive the picture of video data, partitionthe picture of video data using dual tree partitioning for luma blocksand chroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximumvalue for the minimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used forinferring a quadtree split, and encode the partitioned picture.

In another example, this disclosure describes an apparatus configured toencode video data, the apparatus comprising means for receiving apicture of video data, means for partitioning the picture of video datausing dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based ona minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimumquadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtreesplit, and means for encoding the partitioned picture.

In another example, this disclosure describes a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, whenexecuted, cause one or more processors of a device configured to encodevideo data to receive the picture of video data, partition the pictureof video data using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chromablocks based on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for theminimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring aquadtree split, and encode the partitioned picture.

The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanyingdrawings and the description below. Other features, objects, andadvantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoding anddecoding system that may perform the techniques of this disclosure.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are conceptual diagrams illustrating an example quadtreebinary tree (QTBT) structure, and a corresponding coding tree unit(CTU).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoder that mayperform the techniques of this disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example video decoder that mayperform the techniques of this disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating multi-type tree splittingmodes.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example video encoding method.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example video decoding method.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating another example video encodingmethod.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating another example video decodingmethod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoding anddecoding system 100 that may perform the techniques of this disclosure.The techniques of this disclosure are generally directed to coding(encoding and/or decoding) video data. In general, video data includesany data for processing a video. Thus, video data may include raw,unencoded video, encoded video, decoded (e.g., reconstructed) video, andvideo metadata, such as signaling data.

As shown in FIG. 1 , system 100 includes a source device 102 thatprovides encoded video data to be decoded and displayed by a destinationdevice 116, in this example. In particular, source device 102 providesthe video data to destination device 116 via a computer-readable medium110. Source device 102 and destination device 116 may comprise any of awide range of devices, including desktop computers, notebook (i.e.,laptop) computers, tablet computers, set-top boxes, telephone handsetssuch as smartphones, televisions, cameras, display devices, digitalmedia players, video gaming consoles, video streaming device, or thelike. In some cases, source device 102 and destination device 116 may beequipped for wireless communication, and thus may be referred to aswireless communication devices.

In the example of FIG. 1 , source device 102 includes video source 104,memory 106, video encoder 200, and output interface 108. Destinationdevice 116 includes input interface 122, video decoder 300, memory 120,and display device 118. In accordance with this disclosure, videoencoder 200 of source device 102 and video decoder 300 of destinationdevice 116 may be configured to apply the techniques for determining apartitioning for chroma coding blocks. Thus, source device 102represents an example of a video encoding device, while destinationdevice 116 represents an example of a video decoding device. In otherexamples, a source device and a destination device may include othercomponents or arrangements. For example, source device 102 may receivevideo data from an external video source, such as an external camera.Likewise, destination device 116 may interface with an external displaydevice, rather than include an integrated display device.

System 100 as shown in FIG. 1 is merely one example. In general, anydigital video encoding and/or decoding device may perform techniques fordetermining a partitioning for chroma coding blocks. Source device 102and destination device 116 are merely examples of such coding devices inwhich source device 102 generates coded video data for transmission todestination device 116. This disclosure refers to a “coding” device as adevice that performs coding (encoding and/or decoding) of data. Thus,video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 represent examples of codingdevices, in particular, a video encoder and a video decoder,respectively. In some examples, source device 102 and destination device116 may operate in a substantially symmetrical manner such that each ofsource device 102 and destination device 116 includes video encoding anddecoding components. Hence, system 100 may support one-way or two-wayvideo transmission between source device 102 and destination device 116,e.g., for video streaming, video playback, video broadcasting, or videotelephony.

In general, video source 104 represents a source of video data (i.e.,raw, unencoded video data) and provides a sequential series of pictures(also referred to as “frames”) of the video data to video encoder 200,which encodes data for the pictures. Video source 104 of source device102 may include a video capture device, such as a video camera, a videoarchive containing previously captured raw video, and/or a video feedinterface to receive video from a video content provider. As a furtheralternative, video source 104 may generate computer graphics-based dataas the source video, or a combination of live video, archived video, andcomputer-generated video. In each case, video encoder 200 encodes thecaptured, pre-captured, or computer-generated video data. Video encoder200 may rearrange the pictures from the received order (sometimesreferred to as “display order”) into a coding order for coding. Videoencoder 200 may generate a bitstream including encoded video data.Source device 102 may then output the encoded video data via outputinterface 108 onto computer-readable medium 110 for reception and/orretrieval by, e.g., input interface 122 of destination device 116.

Memory 106 of source device 102 and memory 120 of destination device 116represent general purpose memories. In some examples, memories 106, 120may store raw video data, e.g., raw video from video source 104 and raw,decoded video data from video decoder 300. Additionally oralternatively, memories 106, 120 may store software instructionsexecutable by, e.g., video encoder 200 and video decoder 300,respectively. Although memory 106 and memory 120 are shown separatelyfrom video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 in this example, it shouldbe understood that video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may alsoinclude internal memories for functionally similar or equivalentpurposes. Furthermore, memories 106, 120 may store encoded video data,e.g., output from video encoder 200 and input to video decoder 300. Insome examples, portions of memories 106, 120 may be allocated as one ormore video buffers, e.g., to store raw, decoded, and/or encoded videodata.

Computer-readable medium 110 may represent any type of medium or devicecapable of transporting the encoded video data from source device 102 todestination device 116. In one example, computer-readable medium 110represents a communication medium to enable source device 102 totransmit encoded video data directly to destination device 116 inreal-time, e.g., via a radio frequency network or computer-basednetwork. Output interface 108 may modulate a transmission signalincluding the encoded video data, and input interface 122 may demodulatethe received transmission signal, according to a communication standard,such as a wireless communication protocol. The communication medium maycomprise any wireless or wired communication medium, such as a radiofrequency (RF) spectrum or one or more physical transmission lines. Thecommunication medium may form part of a packet-based network, such as alocal area network, a wide-area network, or a global network such as theInternet. The communication medium may include routers, switches, basestations, or any other equipment that may be useful to facilitatecommunication from source device 102 to destination device 116.

In some examples, source device 102 may output encoded data from outputinterface 108 to storage device 112. Similarly, destination device 116may access encoded data from storage device 112 via input interface 122.Storage device 112 may include any of a variety of distributed orlocally accessed data storage media such as a hard drive, Blu-ray discs,DVDs, CD-ROMs, flash memory, volatile or non-volatile memory, or anyother suitable digital storage media for storing encoded video data.

In some examples, source device 102 may output encoded video data tofile server 114 or another intermediate storage device that may storethe encoded video generated by source device 102. Destination device 116may access stored video data from file server 114 via streaming ordownload. File server 114 may be any type of server device capable ofstoring encoded video data and transmitting that encoded video data tothe destination device 116. File server 114 may represent a web server(e.g., for a website), a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, a contentdelivery network device, or a network attached storage (NAS) device.Destination device 116 may access encoded video data from file server114 through any standard data connection, including an Internetconnection. This may include a wireless channel (e.g., a Wi-Ficonnection), a wired connection (e.g., digital subscriber line (DSL),cable modem, etc.), or a combination of both that is suitable foraccessing encoded video data stored on file server 114. File server 114and input interface 122 may be configured to operate according to astreaming transmission protocol, a download transmission protocol, or acombination thereof.

Output interface 108 and input interface 122 may represent wirelesstransmitters/receivers, modems, wired networking components (e.g.,Ethernet cards), wireless communication components that operateaccording to any of a variety of IEEE 802.11 standards, or otherphysical components. In examples where output interface 108 and inputinterface 122 comprise wireless components, output interface 108 andinput interface 122 may be configured to transfer data, such as encodedvideo data, according to a cellular communication standard, such as 4G,4G-LTE (Long-Term Evolution), LTE Advanced, 5G, or the like. In someexamples where output interface 108 comprises a wireless transmitter,output interface 108 and input interface 122 may be configured totransfer data, such as encoded video data, according to other wirelessstandards, such as an IEEE 802.11 specification, an IEEE 802.15specification (e.g., ZigBee™), a Bluetooth™ standard, or the like. Insome examples, source device 102 and/or destination device 116 mayinclude respective system-on-a-chip (SoC) devices. For example, sourcedevice 102 may include an SoC device to perform the functionalityattributed to video encoder 200 and/or output interface 108, anddestination device 116 may include an SoC device to perform thefunctionality attributed to video decoder 300 and/or input interface122.

The techniques of this disclosure may be applied to video coding insupport of any of a variety of multimedia applications, such asover-the-air television broadcasts, cable television transmissions,satellite television transmissions, Internet streaming videotransmissions, such as dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP (DASH),digital video that is encoded onto a data storage medium, decoding ofdigital video stored on a data storage medium, or other applications.

Input interface 122 of destination device 116 receives an encoded videobitstream from computer-readable medium 110 (e.g., a communicationmedium, storage device 112, file server 114, or the like). The encodedvideo bitstream may include signaling information defined by videoencoder 200, which is also used by video decoder 300, such as syntaxelements having values that describe characteristics and/or processingof video blocks or other coded units (e.g., slices, pictures, groups ofpictures, sequences, or the like). Display device 118 displays decodedpictures of the decoded video data to a user. Display device 118 mayrepresent any of a variety of display devices such as a cathode ray tube(CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, an organiclight emitting diode (OLED) display, or another type of display device.

Although not shown in FIG. 1 , in some examples, video encoder 200 andvideo decoder 300 may each be integrated with an audio encoder and/oraudio decoder, and may include appropriate MUX-DEMUX units, or otherhardware and/or software, to handle multiplexed streams including bothaudio and video in a common data stream. If applicable, MUX-DEMUX unitsmay conform to the ITU H.223 multiplexer protocol, or other protocolssuch as the user datagram protocol (UDP).

Video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 each may be implemented as anyof a variety of suitable encoder and/or decoder circuitry, such as oneor more microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), applicationspecific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays(FPGAs), discrete logic, software, hardware, firmware or anycombinations thereof. When the techniques are implemented partially insoftware, a device may store instructions for the software in asuitable, non-transitory computer-readable medium and execute theinstructions in hardware using one or more processors to perform thetechniques of this disclosure. Each of video encoder 200 and videodecoder 300 may be included in one or more encoders or decoders, eitherof which may be integrated as part of a combined encoder/decoder (CODEC)in a respective device. A device including video encoder 200 and/orvideo decoder 300 may comprise an integrated circuit, a microprocessor,and/or a wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone.

Video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may operate according to a videocoding standard, such as ITU-T H.265, also referred to as HighEfficiency Video Coding (HEVC) or extensions thereto, such as themulti-view and/or scalable video coding extensions. Alternatively, videoencoder 200 and video decoder 300 may operate according to otherproprietary or industry standards, such as the Joint Exploration TestModel (JEM) or ITU-T H.266, also referred to as Versatile Video Coding(VVC). A recent draft of the VVC standard is described in Bross, et al.“Versatile Video Coding (Draft 8),” Joint Video Experts Team (JVET) ofITU-T SG 16 WP 3 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11, 17^(th) Meeting:Brussels, BE, 7-17 Jan. 2020, JVET-Q2001-vA (hereinafter “VVC Draft 8”).The techniques of this disclosure, however, are not limited to anyparticular coding standard.

In general, video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may performblock-based coding of pictures. The term “block” generally refers to astructure including data to be processed (e.g., encoded, decoded, orotherwise used in the encoding and/or decoding process). For example, ablock may include a two-dimensional matrix of samples of luminanceand/or chrominance data. In general, video encoder 200 and video decoder300 may code video data represented in a YUV (e.g., Y, Cb, Cr) format.That is, rather than coding red, green, and blue (RGB) data for samplesof a picture, video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may code luminanceand chrominance components, where the chrominance components may includeboth red hue and blue hue chrominance components. In some examples,video encoder 200 converts received RGB formatted data to a YUVrepresentation prior to encoding, and video decoder 300 converts the YUVrepresentation to the RGB format. Alternatively, pre- andpost-processing units (not shown) may perform these conversions.

This disclosure may generally refer to coding (e.g., encoding anddecoding) of pictures to include the process of encoding or decodingdata of the picture. Similarly, this disclosure may refer to coding ofblocks of a picture to include the process of encoding or decoding datafor the blocks, e.g., prediction and/or residual coding. An encodedvideo bitstream generally includes a series of values for syntaxelements representative of coding decisions (e.g., coding modes) andpartitioning of pictures into blocks. Thus, references to coding apicture or a block should generally be understood as coding values forsyntax elements forming the picture or block.

HEVC defines various blocks, including coding units (CUs), predictionunits (PUs), and transform units (TUs). According to HEVC, a video coder(such as video encoder 200) partitions a coding tree unit (CTU) into CUsaccording to a quadtree structure. That is, the video coder partitionsCTUs and CUs into four equal, non-overlapping squares, and each node ofthe quadtree has either zero or four child nodes. Nodes without childnodes may be referred to as “leaf nodes,” and CUs of such leaf nodes mayinclude one or more PUs and/or one or more TUs. The video coder mayfurther partition PUs and TUs. For example, in HEVC, a residual quadtree(RQT) represents partitioning of TUs. In HEVC, PUs representinter-prediction data, while TUs represent residual data. CUs that areintra-predicted include intra-prediction information, such as anintra-mode indication.

As another example, video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may beconfigured to operate according to JEM or VVC. According to JEM or VVC,a video coder (such as video encoder 200) partitions a picture into aplurality of coding tree units (CTUs). Video encoder 200 may partition aCTU according to a tree structure, such as a quadtree-binary tree (QTBT)structure or Multi-Type Tree (MTT) structure. The QTBT structure removesthe concepts of multiple partition types, such as the separation betweenCUs, PUs, and TUs of HEVC. A QTBT structure includes two levels: a firstlevel partitioned according to quadtree partitioning, and a second levelpartitioned according to binary tree partitioning. A root node of theQTBT structure corresponds to a CTU. Leaf nodes of the binary treescorrespond to coding units (CUs).

In an MTT partitioning structure, blocks may be partitioned using aquadtree (QT) partition, a binary tree (BT) partition, and one or moretypes of triple tree (TT) (also called ternary tree (TT)) partitions. Atriple or ternary tree partition is a partition where a block is splitinto three sub-blocks. In some examples, a triple or ternary treepartition divides a block into three sub-blocks without dividing theoriginal block through the center. The partitioning types in MTT (e.g.,QT, BT, and TT), may be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

In some examples, video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may use asingle QTBT or MTT structure to represent each of the luminance andchrominance components, while in other examples, video encoder 200 andvideo decoder 300 may use two or more QTBT or MTT structures, such asone QTBT/MTT structure for the luminance component and another QTBT/MTTstructure for both chrominance components (or two QTBT/MTT structuresfor respective chrominance components).

Video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may be configured to usequadtree partitioning per HEVC, QTBT partitioning, MTT partitioning, orother partitioning structures. For purposes of explanation, thedescription of the techniques of this disclosure is presented withrespect to QTBT partitioning. However, it should be understood that thetechniques of this disclosure may also be applied to video codersconfigured to use quadtree partitioning, or other types of partitioningas well.

The blocks (e.g., CTUs or CUs) may be grouped in various ways in apicture. As one example, a brick may refer to a rectangular region ofCTU rows within a particular tile in a picture. A tile may be arectangular region of CTUs within a particular tile column and aparticular tile row in a picture. A tile column refers to a rectangularregion of CTUs having a height equal to the height of the picture and awidth specified by syntax elements (e.g., such as in a picture parameterset). A tile row refers to a rectangular region of CTUs having a heightspecified by syntax elements (e.g., such as in a picture parameter set)and a width equal to the width of the picture.

In some examples, a tile may be partitioned into multiple bricks, eachof which may include one or more CTU rows within the tile. A tile thatis not partitioned into multiple bricks may also be referred to as abrick. However, a brick that is a true subset of a tile may not bereferred to as a tile.

The bricks in a picture may also be arranged in a slice. A slice may bean integer number of bricks of a picture that may be exclusivelycontained in a single network abstraction layer (NAL) unit. In someexamples, a slice includes either a number of complete tiles or only aconsecutive sequence of complete bricks of one tile.

This disclosure may use “N×N” and “N by N” interchangeably to refer tothe sample dimensions of a block (such as a CU or other video block) interms of vertical and horizontal dimensions, e.g., 16×16 samples or 16by 16 samples. In general, a 16×16 CU will have 16 samples in a verticaldirection (y=16) and 16 samples in a horizontal direction (x=16).Likewise, an N×N CU generally has N samples in a vertical direction andN samples in a horizontal direction, where N represents a nonnegativeinteger value. The samples in a CU may be arranged in rows and columns.Moreover, CUs need not necessarily have the same number of samples inthe horizontal direction as in the vertical direction. For example, CUsmay comprise N×M samples, where M is not necessarily equal to N.

Video encoder 200 encodes video data for CUs representing predictionand/or residual information, and other information. The predictioninformation indicates how the CU is to be predicted in order to form aprediction block for the CU. The residual information generallyrepresents sample-by-sample differences between samples of the CU priorto encoding and the prediction block.

To predict a CU, video encoder 200 may generally form a prediction blockfor the CU through inter-prediction or intra-prediction.Inter-prediction generally refers to predicting the CU from data of apreviously coded picture, whereas intra-prediction generally refers topredicting the CU from previously coded data of the same picture. Toperform inter-prediction, video encoder 200 may generate the predictionblock using one or more motion vectors. Video encoder 200 may generallyperform a motion search to identify a reference block that closelymatches the CU, e.g., in terms of differences between the CU and thereference block. Video encoder 200 may calculate a difference metricusing a sum of absolute difference (SAD), sum of squared differences(SSD), mean absolute difference (MAD), mean squared differences (MSD),or other such difference calculations to determine whether a referenceblock closely matches the current CU. In some examples, video encoder200 may predict the current CU using uni-directional prediction orbi-directional prediction.

Some examples of JEM and VVC also provide an affine motion compensationmode, which may be considered an inter-prediction mode. In affine motioncompensation mode, video encoder 200 may determine two or more motionvectors that represent non-translational motion, such as zoom in or out,rotation, perspective motion, or other irregular motion types.

To perform intra-prediction, video encoder 200 may select anintra-prediction mode to generate the prediction block. Some examples ofJEM and VVC provide sixty-seven intra-prediction modes, includingvarious directional modes, as well as planar mode and DC mode. Ingeneral, video encoder 200 selects an intra-prediction mode thatdescribes neighboring samples to a current block (e.g., a block of a CU)from which to predict samples of the current block. Such samples maygenerally be above, above and to the left, or to the left of the currentblock in the same picture as the current block, assuming video encoder200 codes CTUs and CUs in raster scan order (left to right, top tobottom).

Video encoder 200 encodes data representing the prediction mode for acurrent block. For example, for inter-prediction modes, video encoder200 may encode data representing which of the various availableinter-prediction modes is used, as well as motion information for thecorresponding mode. For uni-directional or bi-directionalinter-prediction, for example, video encoder 200 may encode motionvectors using advanced motion vector prediction (AMVP) or merge mode.Video encoder 200 may use similar modes to encode motion vectors foraffine motion compensation mode.

Following prediction, such as intra-prediction or inter-prediction of ablock, video encoder 200 may calculate residual data for the block. Theresidual data, such as a residual block, represents sample by sampledifferences between the block and a prediction block for the block,formed using the corresponding prediction mode. Video encoder 200 mayapply one or more transforms to the residual block, to producetransformed data in a transform domain instead of the sample domain. Forexample, video encoder 200 may apply a discrete cosine transform (DCT),an integer transform, a wavelet transform, or a conceptually similartransform to residual video data. Additionally, video encoder 200 mayapply a secondary transform following the first transform, such as amode-dependent non-separable secondary transform (MDNSST), a signaldependent transform, a Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT), or the like.Video encoder 200 produces transform coefficients following applicationof the one or more transforms.

As noted above, following any transforms to produce transformcoefficients, video encoder 200 may perform quantization of thetransform coefficients. Quantization generally refers to a process inwhich transform coefficients are quantized to possibly reduce the amountof data used to represent the transform coefficients, providing furthercompression. By performing the quantization process, video encoder 200may reduce the bit depth associated with some or all of the transformcoefficients. For example, video encoder 200 may round an n-bit valuedown to an m-bit value during quantization, where n is greater than m.In some examples, to perform quantization, video encoder 200 may performa bitwise right-shift of the value to be quantized.

Following quantization, video encoder 200 may scan the transformcoefficients, producing a one-dimensional vector from thetwo-dimensional matrix including the quantized transform coefficients.The scan may be designed to place higher energy (and therefore lowerfrequency) transform coefficients at the front of the vector and toplace lower energy (and therefore higher frequency) transformcoefficients at the back of the vector. In some examples, video encoder200 may utilize a predefined scan order to scan the quantized transformcoefficients to produce a serialized vector, and then entropy encode thequantized transform coefficients of the vector. In other examples, videoencoder 200 may perform an adaptive scan. After scanning the quantizedtransform coefficients to form the one-dimensional vector, video encoder200 may entropy encode the one-dimensional vector, e.g., according tocontext-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC). Video encoder 200 mayalso entropy encode values for syntax elements describing metadataassociated with the encoded video data for use by video decoder 300 indecoding the video data.

To perform CABAC, video encoder 200 may assign a context within acontext model to a symbol to be transmitted. The context may relate to,for example, whether neighboring values of the symbol are zero-valued ornot. The probability determination may be based on a context assigned tothe symbol.

Video encoder 200 may further generate syntax data, such as block-basedsyntax data, picture-based syntax data, and sequence-based syntax data,to video decoder 300, e.g., in a picture header, a block header, a sliceheader, or other syntax data, such as a sequence parameter set (SPS),picture parameter set (PPS), or video parameter set (VPS). Video decoder300 may likewise decode such syntax data to determine how to decodecorresponding video data.

In this manner, video encoder 200 may generate a bitstream includingencoded video data, e.g., syntax elements describing partitioning of apicture into blocks (e.g., CUs) and prediction and/or residualinformation for the blocks. Ultimately, video decoder 300 may receivethe bitstream and decode the encoded video data.

In general, video decoder 300 performs a reciprocal process to thatperformed by video encoder 200 to decode the encoded video data of thebitstream. For example, video decoder 300 may decode values for syntaxelements of the bitstream using CABAC in a manner substantially similarto, albeit reciprocal to, the CABAC encoding process of video encoder200. The syntax elements may define partitioning information of apicture into CTUs, and partitioning of each CTU according to acorresponding partition structure, such as a QTBT structure, to defineCUs of the CTU. The syntax elements may further define prediction andresidual information for blocks (e.g., CUs) of video data.

The residual information may be represented by, for example, quantizedtransform coefficients. Video decoder 300 may inverse quantize andinverse transform the quantized transform coefficients of a block toreproduce a residual block for the block. Video decoder 300 uses asignaled prediction mode (intra- or inter-prediction) and relatedprediction information (e.g., motion information for inter-prediction)to form a prediction block for the block. Video decoder 300 may thencombine the prediction block and the residual block (on asample-by-sample basis) to reproduce the original block. Video decoder300 may perform additional processing, such as performing a deblockingprocess to reduce visual artifacts along boundaries of the block.

In accordance with the techniques of this disclosure, video encoder 200and/or video decoder 300 may be configured to determine whether a binarytree split is available for a chroma coding block of video data based onone or more of a position of a corresponding luma coding block, a widthof the corresponding luma coding block, a height of the correspondingluma coding block, a picture width in luma samples, a picture height inluma samples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size inan intra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chromacoding block, a width of the chroma coding block, or an available of aquadtree split, and determine a partitioning for the chroma coding blockbased on the determination of whether the binary tree split isavailable.

In another example, video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may receivea picture of video data, determine a partitioning for the picture ofvideo data using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chromablocks based on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for theminimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring aquadtree split, and code the partitioned picture.

This disclosure may generally refer to “signaling” certain information,such as syntax elements. The term “signaling” may generally refer to thecommunication of values for syntax elements and/or other data used todecode encoded video data. That is, video encoder 200 may signal valuesfor syntax elements in the bitstream. In general, signaling refers togenerating a value in the bitstream. As noted above, source device 102may transport the bitstream to destination device 116 substantially inreal time, or not in real time, such as might occur when storing syntaxelements to storage device 112 for later retrieval by destination device116.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are conceptual diagrams illustrating an example quadtreebinary tree (QTBT) structure 130, and a corresponding coding tree unit(CTU) 132. The solid lines represent quadtree splitting, and dottedlines indicate binary tree splitting. In each split (i.e., non-leaf)node of the binary tree, one flag is signaled to indicate whichsplitting type (i.e., horizontal or vertical) is used, where 0 indicateshorizontal splitting and 1 indicates vertical splitting in this example.For the quadtree splitting, there is no need to indicate the splittingtype, because quadtree nodes split a block horizontally and verticallyinto 4 sub-blocks with equal size. Accordingly, video encoder 200 mayencode, and video decoder 300 may decode, syntax elements (such assplitting information) for a region tree level of QTBT structure 130(i.e., the solid lines) and syntax elements (such as splittinginformation) for a prediction tree level of QTBT structure 130 (i.e.,the dashed lines). Video encoder 200 may encode, and video decoder 300may decode, video data, such as prediction and transform data, for CUsrepresented by terminal leaf nodes of QTBT structure 130.

In general, CTU 132 of FIG. 2B may be associated with parametersdefining sizes of blocks corresponding to nodes of QTBT structure 130 atthe first and second levels. These parameters may include a CTU size(representing a size of CTU 132 in samples), a minimum quadtree size(MinQTSize, representing a minimum allowed quadtree leaf node size), amaximum binary tree size (MaxBTSize, representing a maximum allowedbinary tree root node size), a maximum binary tree depth (MaxBTDepth,representing a maximum allowed binary tree depth), and a minimum binarytree size (MinBTSize, representing the minimum allowed binary tree leafnode size).

The root node of a QTBT structure corresponding to a CTU may have fourchild nodes at the first level of the QTBT structure, each of which maybe partitioned according to quadtree partitioning. That is, nodes of thefirst level are either leaf nodes (having no child nodes) or have fourchild nodes. The example of QTBT structure 130 represents such nodes asincluding the parent node and child nodes having solid lines forbranches. If nodes of the first level are not larger than the maximumallowed binary tree root node size (MaxBTSize), then the nodes can befurther partitioned by respective binary trees. The binary treesplitting of one node can be iterated until the nodes resulting from thesplit reach the minimum allowed binary tree leaf node size (MinBTSize)or the maximum allowed binary tree depth (MaxBTDepth). The example ofQTBT structure 130 represents such nodes as having dashed lines forbranches. The binary tree leaf node is referred to as a coding unit(CU), which is used for prediction (e.g., intra-picture or inter-pictureprediction) and transform, without any further partitioning. Asdiscussed above, CUs may also be referred to as “video blocks” or“blocks.”

In one example of the QTBT partitioning structure, the CTU size is setas 128×128 (luma samples and two corresponding 64×64 chroma samples),the MinQTSize is set as 16×16, the MaxBTSize is set as 64×64, theMinBTSize (for both width and height) is set as 4, and the MaxBTDepth isset as 4. The quadtree partitioning is applied to the CTU first togenerate quad-tree leaf nodes. The quadtree leaf nodes may have a sizefrom 16×16 (i.e., the MinQTSize) to 128×128 (i.e., the CTU size). If theleaf quadtree node is 128×128, the leaf quadtree node will not befurther split by the binary tree, because the size exceeds the MaxBTSize(i.e., 64×64, in this example). Otherwise, the leaf quadtree node willbe further partitioned by the binary tree. Therefore, the quadtree leafnode is also the root node for the binary tree and has the binary treedepth as 0. When the binary tree depth reaches MaxBTDepth (4, in thisexample), no further splitting is permitted. When the binary tree nodehas a width equal to MinBTSize (4, in this example), it implies nofurther horizontal splitting is permitted. Similarly, a binary tree nodehaving a height equal to MinBTSize implies no further vertical splittingis permitted for that binary tree node. As noted above, leaf nodes ofthe binary tree are referred to as CUs, and are further processedaccording to prediction and transform without further partitioning.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoder 200 thatmay perform the techniques of this disclosure. FIG. 3 is provided forpurposes of explanation and should not be considered limiting of thetechniques as broadly exemplified and described in this disclosure. Forpurposes of explanation, this disclosure describes video encoder 200according to the techniques of JEM, VVC (ITU-T H.266, underdevelopment), and HEVC (ITU-T H.265). However, the techniques of thisdisclosure may be performed by video encoding devices that areconfigured to other video coding standards.

In the example of FIG. 3 , video encoder 200 includes video data memory230, mode selection unit 202, residual generation unit 204, transformprocessing unit 206, quantization unit 208, inverse quantization unit210, inverse transform processing unit 212, reconstruction unit 214,filter unit 216, decoded picture buffer (DPB) 218, and entropy encodingunit 220. Any or all of video data memory 230, mode selection unit 202,residual generation unit 204, transform processing unit 206,quantization unit 208, inverse quantization unit 210, inverse transformprocessing unit 212, reconstruction unit 214, filter unit 216, DPB 218,and entropy encoding unit 220 may be implemented in one or moreprocessors or in processing circuitry. For instance, the units of videoencoder 200 may be implemented as one or more circuits or logic elementsas part of hardware circuitry, or as part of a processor, ASIC, of FPGA.Moreover, video encoder 200 may include additional or alternativeprocessors or processing circuitry to perform these and other functions.

Video data memory 230 may store video data to be encoded by thecomponents of video encoder 200. Video encoder 200 may receive the videodata stored in video data memory 230 from, for example, video source 104(FIG. 1 ). DPB 218 may act as a reference picture memory that storesreference video data for use in prediction of subsequent video data byvideo encoder 200. Video data memory 230 and DPB 218 may be formed byany of a variety of memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory(DRAM), including synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM),resistive RAM (RRAM), or other types of memory devices. Video datamemory 230 and DPB 218 may be provided by the same memory device orseparate memory devices. In various examples, video data memory 230 maybe on-chip with other components of video encoder 200, as illustrated,or off-chip relative to those components.

In this disclosure, reference to video data memory 230 should not beinterpreted as being limited to memory internal to video encoder 200,unless specifically described as such, or memory external to videoencoder 200, unless specifically described as such. Rather, reference tovideo data memory 230 should be understood as reference memory thatstores video data that video encoder 200 receives for encoding (e.g.,video data for a current block that is to be encoded). Memory 106 ofFIG. 1 may also provide temporary storage of outputs from the variousunits of video encoder 200.

The various units of FIG. 3 are illustrated to assist with understandingthe operations performed by video encoder 200. The units may beimplemented as fixed-function circuits, programmable circuits, or acombination thereof. Fixed-function circuits refer to circuits thatprovide particular functionality, and are preset on the operations thatcan be performed. Programmable circuits refer to circuits that can beprogrammed to perform various tasks, and provide flexible functionalityin the operations that can be performed. For instance, programmablecircuits may execute software or firmware that cause the programmablecircuits to operate in the manner defined by instructions of thesoftware or firmware. Fixed-function circuits may execute softwareinstructions (e.g., to receive parameters or output parameters), but thetypes of operations that the fixed-function circuits perform aregenerally immutable. In some examples, one or more of the units may bedistinct circuit blocks (fixed-function or programmable), and in someexamples, one or more of the units may be integrated circuits.

Video encoder 200 may include arithmetic logic units (ALUs), elementaryfunction units (EFUs), digital circuits, analog circuits, and/orprogrammable cores, formed from programmable circuits. In examples wherethe operations of video encoder 200 are performed using softwareexecuted by the programmable circuits, memory 106 (FIG. 1 ) may storethe instructions (e.g., object code) of the software that video encoder200 receives and executes, or another memory within video encoder 200(not shown) may store such instructions.

Video data memory 230 is configured to store received video data. Videoencoder 200 may retrieve a picture of the video data from video datamemory 230 and provide the video data to residual generation unit 204and mode selection unit 202. Video data in video data memory 230 may beraw video data that is to be encoded.

Mode selection unit 202 includes a motion estimation unit 222, motioncompensation unit 224, and an intra-prediction unit 226. Mode selectionunit 202 may include additional functional units to perform videoprediction in accordance with other prediction modes. As examples, modeselection unit 202 may include a palette unit, an intra-block copy unit(which may be part of motion estimation unit 222 and/or motioncompensation unit 224), an affine unit, a linear model (LM) unit, or thelike.

Mode selection unit 202 generally coordinates multiple encoding passesto test combinations of encoding parameters and resultingrate-distortion values for such combinations. The encoding parametersmay include partitioning of CTUs into CUs, prediction modes for the CUs,transform types for residual data of the CUs, quantization parametersfor residual data of the CUs, and so on. Mode selection unit 202 mayultimately select the combination of encoding parameters havingrate-distortion values that are better than the other testedcombinations.

As will be explained in more detail below, in accordance with examplesof the disclosure, video encoder 200 may partition a picture of videodata using dual tree partitioning. For example, video encoder 200 mayreceive a picture of video data, partition the picture of video datausing dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based ona minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimumquadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtreesplit, and encode the partitioned picture.

Video encoder 200 may partition a picture retrieved from video datamemory 230 into a series of CTUs, and encapsulate one or more CTUswithin a slice. Mode selection unit 202 may partition a CTU of thepicture in accordance with a tree structure, such as the QTBT structureor the quad-tree structure of HEVC described above. As described above,video encoder 200 may form one or more CUs from partitioning a CTUaccording to the tree structure. Such a CU may also be referred togenerally as a “video block” or “block.”

In general, mode selection unit 202 also controls the components thereof(e.g., motion estimation unit 222, motion compensation unit 224, andintra-prediction unit 226) to generate a prediction block for a currentblock (e.g., a current CU, or in HEVC, the overlapping portion of a PUand a TU). For inter-prediction of a current block, motion estimationunit 222 may perform a motion search to identify one or more closelymatching reference blocks in one or more reference pictures (e.g., oneor more previously coded pictures stored in DPB 218). In particular,motion estimation unit 222 may calculate a value representative of howsimilar a potential reference block is to the current block, e.g.,according to sum of absolute difference (SAD), sum of squareddifferences (SSD), mean absolute difference (MAD), mean squareddifferences (MSD), or the like. Motion estimation unit 222 may generallyperform these calculations using sample-by-sample differences betweenthe current block and the reference block being considered. Motionestimation unit 222 may identify a reference block having a lowest valueresulting from these calculations, indicating a reference block thatmost closely matches the current block.

Motion estimation unit 222 may form one or more motion vectors (MVs)that defines the positions of the reference blocks in the referencepictures relative to the position of the current block in a currentpicture. Motion estimation unit 222 may then provide the motion vectorsto motion compensation unit 224. For example, for uni-directionalinter-prediction, motion estimation unit 222 may provide a single motionvector, whereas for bi-directional inter-prediction, motion estimationunit 222 may provide two motion vectors. Motion compensation unit 224may then generate a prediction block using the motion vectors. Forexample, motion compensation unit 224 may retrieve data of the referenceblock using the motion vector. As another example, if the motion vectorhas fractional sample precision, motion compensation unit 224 mayinterpolate values for the prediction block according to one or moreinterpolation filters. Moreover, for bi-directional inter-prediction,motion compensation unit 224 may retrieve data for two reference blocksidentified by respective motion vectors and combine the retrieved data,e.g., through sample-by-sample averaging or weighted averaging.

As another example, for intra-prediction, or intra-prediction coding,intra-prediction unit 226 may generate the prediction block from samplesneighboring the current block. For example, for directional modes,intra-prediction unit 226 may generally mathematically combine values ofneighboring samples and populate these calculated values in the defineddirection across the current block to produce the prediction block. Asanother example, for DC mode, intra-prediction unit 226 may calculate anaverage of the neighboring samples to the current block and generate theprediction block to include this resulting average for each sample ofthe prediction block.

Mode selection unit 202 provides the prediction block to residualgeneration unit 204. Residual generation unit 204 receives a raw,unencoded version of the current block from video data memory 230 andthe prediction block from mode selection unit 202. Residual generationunit 204 calculates sample-by-sample differences between the currentblock and the prediction block. The resulting sample-by-sampledifferences define a residual block for the current block. In someexamples, residual generation unit 204 may also determine differencesbetween sample values in the residual block to generate a residual blockusing residual differential pulse code modulation (RDPCM). In someexamples, residual generation unit 204 may be formed using one or moresubtractor circuits that perform binary subtraction.

In examples where mode selection unit 202 partitions CUs into PUs, eachPU may be associated with a luma prediction unit and correspondingchroma prediction units. Video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 maysupport PUs having various sizes. As indicated above, the size of a CUmay refer to the size of the luma coding block of the CU and the size ofa PU may refer to the size of a luma prediction unit of the PU. Assumingthat the size of a particular CU is 2N×2N, video encoder 200 may supportPU sizes of 2N×2N or N×N for intra prediction, and symmetric PU sizes of2N×2N, 2N×N, N×2N, N×N, or similar for inter prediction. Video encoder200 and video decoder 300 may also support asymmetric partitioning forPU sizes of 2N×nU, 2N×nD, nL×2N, and nR×2N for inter prediction.

In examples where mode selection unit 202 does not further partition aCU into PUs, each CU may be associated with a luma coding block andcorresponding chroma coding blocks. As above, the size of a CU may referto the size of the luma coding block of the CU. The video encoder 200and video decoder 300 may support CU sizes of 2N×2N, 2N×N, or N×2N.

For other video coding techniques such as an intra-block copy modecoding, an affine-mode coding, and linear model (LM) mode coding, as fewexamples, mode selection unit 202, via respective units associated withthe coding techniques, generates a prediction block for the currentblock being encoded. In some examples, such as palette mode coding, modeselection unit 202 may not generate a prediction block, and insteadgenerate syntax elements that indicate the manner in which toreconstruct the block based on a selected palette. In such modes, modeselection unit 202 may provide these syntax elements to entropy encodingunit 220 to be encoded.

As described above, residual generation unit 204 receives the video datafor the current block and the corresponding prediction block. Residualgeneration unit 204 then generates a residual block for the currentblock. To generate the residual block, residual generation unit 204calculates sample-by-sample differences between the prediction block andthe current block.

Transform processing unit 206 applies one or more transforms to theresidual block to generate a block of transform coefficients (referredto herein as a “transform coefficient block”). Transform processing unit206 may apply various transforms to a residual block to form thetransform coefficient block. For example, transform processing unit 206may apply a discrete cosine transform (DCT), a directional transform, aKarhunen-Loeve transform (KLT), or a conceptually similar transform to aresidual block. In some examples, transform processing unit 206 mayperform multiple transforms to a residual block, e.g., a primarytransform and a secondary transform, such as a rotational transform. Insome examples, transform processing unit 206 does not apply transformsto a residual block.

Quantization unit 208 may quantize the transform coefficients in atransform coefficient block, to produce a quantized transformcoefficient block. Quantization unit 208 may quantize transformcoefficients of a transform coefficient block according to aquantization parameter (QP) value associated with the current block.Video encoder 200 (e.g., via mode selection unit 202) may adjust thedegree of quantization applied to the transform coefficient blocksassociated with the current block by adjusting the QP value associatedwith the CU. Quantization may introduce loss of information, and thus,quantized transform coefficients may have lower precision than theoriginal transform coefficients produced by transform processing unit206.

Inverse quantization unit 210 and inverse transform processing unit 212may apply inverse quantization and inverse transforms to a quantizedtransform coefficient block, respectively, to reconstruct a residualblock from the transform coefficient block. Reconstruction unit 214 mayproduce a reconstructed block corresponding to the current block (albeitpotentially with some degree of distortion) based on the reconstructedresidual block and a prediction block generated by mode selection unit202. For example, reconstruction unit 214 may add samples of thereconstructed residual block to corresponding samples from theprediction block generated by mode selection unit 202 to produce thereconstructed block.

Filter unit 216 may perform one or more filter operations onreconstructed blocks. For example, filter unit 216 may performdeblocking operations to reduce blockiness artifacts along edges of CUs.Operations of filter unit 216 may be skipped, in some examples.

Video encoder 200 stores reconstructed blocks in DPB 218. For instance,in examples where operations of filter unit 216 are not needed,reconstruction unit 214 may store reconstructed blocks to DPB 218. Inexamples where operations of filter unit 216 are needed, filter unit 216may store the filtered reconstructed blocks to DPB 218. Motionestimation unit 222 and motion compensation unit 224 may retrieve areference picture from DPB 218, formed from the reconstructed (andpotentially filtered) blocks, to inter-predict blocks of subsequentlyencoded pictures. In addition, intra-prediction unit 226 may usereconstructed blocks in DPB 218 of a current picture to intra-predictother blocks in the current picture.

In general, entropy encoding unit 220 may entropy encode syntax elementsreceived from other functional components of video encoder 200. Forexample, entropy encoding unit 220 may entropy encode quantizedtransform coefficient blocks from quantization unit 208. As anotherexample, entropy encoding unit 220 may entropy encode prediction syntaxelements (e.g., motion information for inter-prediction or intra-modeinformation for intra-prediction) from mode selection unit 202. Entropyencoding unit 220 may perform one or more entropy encoding operations onthe syntax elements, which are another example of video data, togenerate entropy-encoded data. For example, entropy encoding unit 220may perform a context-adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC) operation,a CABAC operation, a variable-to-variable (V2V) length coding operation,a syntax-based context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (SBAC)operation, a Probability Interval Partitioning Entropy (PIPE) codingoperation, an Exponential-Golomb encoding operation, or another type ofentropy encoding operation on the data. In some examples, entropyencoding unit 220 may operate in bypass mode where syntax elements arenot entropy encoded.

Video encoder 200 may output a bitstream that includes the entropyencoded syntax elements needed to reconstruct blocks of a slice orpicture. In particular, entropy encoding unit 220 may output thebitstream.

The operations described above are described with respect to a block.Such description should be understood as being operations for a lumacoding block and/or chroma coding blocks. As described above, in someexamples, the luma coding block and chroma coding blocks are luma andchroma components of a CU. In some examples, the luma coding block andthe chroma coding blocks are luma and chroma components of a PU.

In some examples, operations performed with respect to a luma codingblock need not be repeated for the chroma coding blocks. As one example,operations to identify a motion vector (MV) and reference picture for aluma coding block need not be repeated for identifying a MV andreference picture for the chroma blocks. Rather, the MV for the lumacoding block may be scaled to determine the MV for the chroma blocks,and the reference picture may be the same. As another example, theintra-prediction process may be the same for the luma coding block andthe chroma coding blocks.

Video encoder 200 represents an example of a device configured to encodevideo data including a memory configured to store video data, and one ormore processing units implemented in circuitry and configured determinewhether a binary tree split is available for a chroma coding block ofvideo data based on one or more of a position of a corresponding lumacoding block, a width of the corresponding luma coding block, a heightof the corresponding luma coding block, a picture width in luma samples,a picture height in luma samples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternarytree leaf node size in an intra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, aheight of the chroma coding block, a width of the chroma coding block,or an available of a quadtree split, and a determine partitioning forthe chroma coding block based on the determination of whether the binarytree split is available.

In another example, video encoder 200 may partition a picture of videodata using dual tree partitioning. For example, video encoder 200 mayreceive a picture of video data, partition the picture of video datausing dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based ona minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimumquadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtreesplit, and encode the partitioned picture.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example video decoder 300 thatmay perform the techniques of this disclosure. FIG. 4 is provided forpurposes of explanation and is not limiting on the techniques as broadlyexemplified and described in this disclosure. For purposes ofexplanation, this disclosure describes video decoder 300 according tothe techniques of JEM, VVC (ITU-T H.266, under development), and HEVC(ITU-T H.265). However, the techniques of this disclosure may beperformed by video coding devices that are configured to other videocoding standards.

In the example of FIG. 4 , video decoder 300 includes coded picturebuffer (CPB) memory 320, entropy decoding unit 302, predictionprocessing unit 304, inverse quantization unit 306, inverse transformprocessing unit 308, reconstruction unit 310, filter unit 312, anddecoded picture buffer (DPB) 314. Any or all of CPB memory 320, entropydecoding unit 302, prediction processing unit 304, inverse quantizationunit 306, inverse transform processing unit 308, reconstruction unit310, filter unit 312, and DPB 314 may be implemented in one or moreprocessors or in processing circuitry. For instance, the units of videodecoder 300 may be implemented as one or more circuits or logic elementsas part of hardware circuitry, or as part of a processor, ASIC, of FPGA.Moreover, video decoder 300 may include additional or alternativeprocessors or processing circuitry to perform these and other functions.

Prediction processing unit 304 includes motion compensation unit 316 andintra-prediction unit 318. Prediction processing unit 304 may includeadditional units to perform prediction in accordance with otherprediction modes. As examples, prediction processing unit 304 mayinclude a palette unit, an intra-block copy unit (which may form part ofmotion compensation unit 316), an affine unit, a linear model (LM) unit,or the like. In other examples, video decoder 300 may include more,fewer, or different functional components.

CPB memory 320 may store video data, such as an encoded video bitstream,to be decoded by the components of video decoder 300. The video datastored in CPB memory 320 may be obtained, for example, fromcomputer-readable medium 110 (FIG. 1 ). CPB memory 320 may include a CPBthat stores encoded video data (e.g., syntax elements) from an encodedvideo bitstream. Also, CPB memory 320 may store video data other thansyntax elements of a coded picture, such as temporary data representingoutputs from the various units of video decoder 300. DPB 314 generallystores decoded pictures, which video decoder 300 may output and/or useas reference video data when decoding subsequent data or pictures of theencoded video bitstream. CPB memory 320 and DPB 314 may be formed by anyof a variety of memory devices, such as DRAM, including SDRAM, MRAM,RRAM, or other types of memory devices. CPB memory 320 and DPB 314 maybe provided by the same memory device or separate memory devices. Invarious examples, CPB memory 320 may be on-chip with other components ofvideo decoder 300, or off-chip relative to those components.

Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, video decoder 300 mayretrieve coded video data from memory 120 (FIG. 1 ). That is, memory 120may store data as discussed above with CPB memory 320. Likewise, memory120 may store instructions to be executed by video decoder 300, whensome or all of the functionality of video decoder 300 is implemented insoftware to be executed by processing circuitry of video decoder 300.

As will be explained in more detail below, in accordance with examplesof the disclosure, video decoder 300 may determine a partitioning for apicture of video data using dual tree partitioning. For example, videodecoder 300 may receive a picture of video data, determine apartitioning for the picture of video data using dual tree partitioningfor luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size,wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size is equal to athreshold used for inferring a quadtree split, and decode thepartitioned picture.

The various units shown in FIG. 4 are illustrated to assist withunderstanding the operations performed by video decoder 300. The unitsmay be implemented as fixed-function circuits, programmable circuits, ora combination thereof. Similar to FIG. 3 , fixed-function circuits referto circuits that provide particular functionality, and are preset on theoperations that can be performed. Programmable circuits refer tocircuits that can be programmed to perform various tasks, and provideflexible functionality in the operations that can be performed. Forinstance, programmable circuits may execute software or firmware thatcause the programmable circuits to operate in the manner defined byinstructions of the software or firmware. Fixed-function circuits mayexecute software instructions (e.g., to receive parameters or outputparameters), but the types of operations that the fixed-functioncircuits perform are generally immutable. In some examples, one or moreof the units may be distinct circuit blocks (fixed-function orprogrammable), and in some examples, one or more of the units may beintegrated circuits.

Video decoder 300 may include ALUs, EFUs, digital circuits, analogcircuits, and/or programmable cores formed from programmable circuits.In examples where the operations of video decoder 300 are performed bysoftware executing on the programmable circuits, on-chip or off-chipmemory may store instructions (e.g., object code) of the software thatvideo decoder 300 receives and executes.

Entropy decoding unit 302 may receive encoded video data from the CPBand entropy decode the video data to reproduce syntax elements.Prediction processing unit 304, inverse quantization unit 306, inversetransform processing unit 308, reconstruction unit 310, and filter unit312 may generate decoded video data based on the syntax elementsextracted from the bitstream.

In general, video decoder 300 reconstructs a picture on a block-by-blockbasis. Video decoder 300 may perform a reconstruction operation on eachblock individually (where the block currently being reconstructed, i.e.,decoded, may be referred to as a “current block”).

Entropy decoding unit 302 may entropy decode syntax elements definingquantized transform coefficients of a quantized transform coefficientblock, as well as transform information, such as a quantizationparameter (QP) and/or transform mode indication(s). Inverse quantizationunit 306 may use the QP associated with the quantized transformcoefficient block to determine a degree of quantization and, likewise, adegree of inverse quantization for inverse quantization unit 306 toapply. Inverse quantization unit 306 may, for example, perform a bitwiseleft-shift operation to inverse quantize the quantized transformcoefficients. Inverse quantization unit 306 may thereby form a transformcoefficient block including transform coefficients.

After inverse quantization unit 306 forms the transform coefficientblock, inverse transform processing unit 308 may apply one or moreinverse transforms to the transform coefficient block to generate aresidual block associated with the current block. For example, inversetransform processing unit 308 may apply an inverse DCT, an inverseinteger transform, an inverse Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT), an inverserotational transform, an inverse directional transform, or anotherinverse transform to the transform coefficient block.

Furthermore, prediction processing unit 304 generates a prediction blockaccording to prediction information syntax elements that were entropydecoded by entropy decoding unit 302. For example, if the predictioninformation syntax elements indicate that the current block isinter-predicted, motion compensation unit 316 may generate theprediction block. In this case, the prediction information syntaxelements may indicate a reference picture in DPB 314 from which toretrieve a reference block, as well as a motion vector identifying alocation of the reference block in the reference picture relative to thelocation of the current block in the current picture. Motioncompensation unit 316 may generally perform the inter-prediction processin a manner that is substantially similar to that described with respectto motion compensation unit 224 (FIG. 3 ).

As another example, if the prediction information syntax elementsindicate that the current block is intra-predicted, intra-predictionunit 318 may generate the prediction block according to anintra-prediction mode indicated by the prediction information syntaxelements. Again, intra-prediction unit 318 may generally perform theintra-prediction process in a manner that is substantially similar tothat described with respect to intra-prediction unit 226 (FIG. 3 ).Intra-prediction unit 318 may retrieve data of neighboring samples tothe current block from DPB 314.

Reconstruction unit 310 may reconstruct the current block using theprediction block and the residual block. For example, reconstructionunit 310 may add samples of the residual block to corresponding samplesof the prediction block to reconstruct the current block.

Filter unit 312 may perform one or more filter operations onreconstructed blocks. For example, filter unit 312 may performdeblocking operations to reduce blockiness artifacts along edges of thereconstructed blocks. Operations of filter unit 312 are not necessarilyperformed in all examples.

Video decoder 300 may store the reconstructed blocks in DPB 314. Forinstance, in examples where operations of filter unit 312 are notperformed, reconstruction unit 310 may store reconstructed blocks to DPB314. In examples where operations of filter unit 312 are performed,filter unit 312 may store the filtered reconstructed blocks to DPB 314.As discussed above, DPB 314 may provide reference information, such assamples of a current picture for intra-prediction and previously decodedpictures for subsequent motion compensation, to prediction processingunit 304. Moreover, video decoder 300 may output decoded pictures (e.g.,decoded video) from DPB 314 for subsequent presentation on a displaydevice, such as display device 118 of FIG. 1 .

In this manner, video decoder 300 represents an example of a videodecoding device including a memory configured to store video data, andone or more processing units implemented in circuitry and configured todetermine whether a binary tree split is available for a chroma codingblock of video data based on one or more of a position of acorresponding luma coding block, a width of the corresponding lumacoding block, a height of the corresponding luma coding block, a picturewidth in luma samples, a picture height in luma samples, a minimumallowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size in an intra slice, achroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chroma coding block, a widthof the chroma coding block, or an available of a quadtree split, and adetermine partitioning for the chroma coding block based on thedetermination of whether the binary tree split is available.

In another example, video decoder 300 may determine a partitioning for apicture of video data using dual tree partitioning. For example, videodecoder 300 may receive a picture of video data, determine apartitioning for the picture of video data using dual tree partitioningfor luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size,wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size is equal to athreshold used for inferring a quadtree split, and decode thepartitioned picture.

1.1 Partitioning Structure in VVC Draft 8

In VVC Draft 8, a quadtree (QT) with nested multi-type tree using abinary tree (BT) and ternary tree (TT) split segmentation structure isused. Video encoder 200 may first partition a coding tree unit (CTU)using a quaternary tree (a.k.a. quadtree) structure. Then, video encoder200 may further partition the quaternary tree leaf nodes using amulti-type tree (MTT) structure. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagramillustrating MTT splitting modes. As shown in FIG. 5 , there are foursplitting types in the MTT structure: vertical binary splitting(SPLIT_BT_VER), horizontal binary splitting (SPLIT_BT_HOR), verticalternary splitting (SPLIT_TT_VER), and horizontal ternary splitting(SPLIT_TT_HOR). The MTT leaf nodes are called coding units (CUs), andunless the CU is too large for the maximum transform length, thissegmentation is used for prediction and transform processing without anyfurther partitioning. The luma samples of a coding unit may be referredto as a luma coding block. The chroma samples of a coding unit may bereferred to as a chroma coding block.

In I slices (e.g., slices where blocks are coded using intraprediction), a dual tree partitioning structure may be applied, whereinthe luma and chroma components can have separate partitioning structureswith the constraint that the quadtree (QT) split is inferred if theblock size is larger than 64.

1.2 Partitioning Structure Parameters

The following parameters are defined for the quadtree with nested MTTcoding tree scheme.

-   -   1) ctuSize: the root node size of a quaternary tree (e.g.,        quadtree)    -   2) minLumaCbSize: the minimum luma coding block size    -   3) minQtSizeInter: the minimum allowed quaternary tree leaf node        size in an inter slice (e.g., a slice that may be encoded using        both inter prediction and intra prediction)    -   4) maxMttDepthInter: the maximum allowed multi-type tree depth        in an inter slice    -   5) maxBtSizeInter: the maximum allowed root node size node size        of a binary tree in an inter slice    -   6) maxTtSizeInter: the maximum allowed root node size node size        of a ternary tree in an inter slice    -   7) minQtSizeIntraLuma: the minimum allowed quaternary tree leaf        node size in an intra slice    -   8) maxMttDepthIntraLuma: the maximum allowed multi-type tree        depth in an intra slice    -   9) maxBtSizeIntraLuma: the maximum allowed root node size node        size of a binary tree in an intra slice    -   10) maxTtSizeIntraLuma: the maximum allowed root node size node        size of a ternary tree in an intra slice

In the case of dual tree partitioning in an intra slice, the followingadditional parameters are defined (in terms of number of correspondingluma samples) for the chroma partitioning tree.

-   -   11) minQtSizeIntraChroma: the minimum allowed chroma quaternary        tree leaf node size in an intra slice    -   12) maxMttDepthIntraChroma: the maximum allowed chroma        multi-type tree depth in an intra slice    -   13) maxBtSizeIntraChroma: the maximum allowed chroma root node        size node size of a binary tree in an intra slice    -   14) maxTtSizeIntraChroma: the maximum allowed chroma root node        size node size of a ternary tree in an intra slice

1.3 CU Splits on Picture Boundaries

In VVC Draft 8, the tree node block is forced to be split until allsamples of every coded CU are located inside the picture boundaries. Thefollowing splitting rules are applied in VVC Draft 8:

-   -   If a portion of a tree node block exceeds both the bottom and        the right picture boundaries,        -   If the block is a QT node and the size of the block is            larger than the minimum QT size, the block is forced to be            split with QT split mode.        -   Otherwise, the block is forced to be split with SPLIT_BT_HOR            mode    -   Otherwise if a portion of a tree node block exceeds the bottom        picture boundaries,    -    If the block is a QT node, and the size of the block is larger        than the minimum QT size, and the size of the block is larger        than the maximum BT size, the block is forced to be split with        QT split mode.    -    Otherwise, if the block is a QT node, and the size of the block        is larger than the minimum QT size and the size of the block is        smaller than or equal to the maximum BT size, the block is        forced to be split with QT split mode or SPLIT_BT_HOR mode.    -    Otherwise (the block is a BTT node or the size of the block is        smaller than or equal to the minimum QT size), the block is        forced to be split with SPLIT_BT_HOR mode.    -   Otherwise if a portion of a tree node block exceeds the right        picture boundaries,    -    If the block is a QT node, and the size of the block is larger        than the minimum QT size, and the size of the block is larger        than the maximum BT size, the block is forced to be split with        QT split mode.    -    Otherwise, if the block is a QT node, and the size of the block        is larger than the minimum QT size and the size of the block is        smaller than or equal to the maximum BT size, the block is        forced to be split with QT split mode or SPLIT_BT_VER mode.    -    Otherwise (the block is a BTT node or the size of the block is        smaller than or equal to the minimum QT size), the block is        forced to be split with SPLIT_BT_VER mode.

1.4 the Availability Check of QT, BT, and TT in Chroma Partitioning Treein VVC Draft 8

In the following sections, the availability check conditions that arerelated to the techniques of this disclosure are listed. Some otherconditions that are not directly related to the techniques of thisdisclosure are omitted for the simplicity of description. For example,some conditions that constrain the minimum area of a chroma leaf node,and some conditions that are related to the Virtual Pipeline Data units(VPDU). are omitted.

1.4.1 the Availability Check of a QT Split

The QT split is un-available for a block if one of the following istrue:

1) The current multi-type tree depth of the block is not 0

2) The current block size is less than or equal tominQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC

Video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may derive the values ofSubWidthC and SubHeightC depending on the chroma format of the codedvideo, specified as chroma_format_idc and separate_colour_plane_flag, asshown in Table 1 below.

1.4.2 The Availability Check of the BT split

If one of the following is true, the BT split is set as un-available:

-   -   The current block width is greater than maxBtSizeIntraChroma    -   The current block height is greater than maxBtSizeIntraChroma    -   The current multi-type tree depth of the block is greater than        maxMttDepthIntraChroma plus the number of implicit split depths        Otherwise, if all of the following conditions are true, the BT        split is set as un-available:    -   BT type is equal to SPLIT_BT_VER    -   y0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples        Otherwise, if all of the following conditions are true, the BT        split is set as un-available:    -   BT type is equal to SPLIT_BT_VER    -   cbHeight is greater than 64    -   x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples        Otherwise, if all of the following conditions are true, the        split BT is set as un-available:    -   BT type is equal to SPLIT_BT_HOR    -   cbWidth is greater than 64    -   y0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples

Otherwise, if all of the following conditions are true, BT is set asun-available

-   -   x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples    -   y0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples    -   cbWidth is greater than minQtSizeIntraChroma        Otherwise, if all of the following conditions are true, the BT        split is set as un-available:    -   BT type is equal to SPLIT_BT_HOR    -   x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples    -   y0+cbHeight is less than or equal to pic_height_in_luma_samples

The coordinate (x0, y0) is the coordinate (e.g., position) of thetop-left sample of the corresponding luma block, and (cbWidth, cbHeight)are the width and height of the corresponding luma block.

TABLE 1 SubWidthC and SubHeightC values derived from chroma_format_idcand separate_colour_plane_flag chroma_ separate_colour_ Chromaformat_idc plane_flag format SubWidthC SubHeightC 0 0 Monochrome 1 1 1 04:2:0 2 2 2 0 4:2:2 2 1 3 0 4:4:4 1 1 3 1 4:4:4 1 1

The availability checks described above work well when the chroma format(e.g., chroma subsampling format) is 4:4:4 or 4:2:0. In the case of a4:2:2 chroma format 4:2:2, SubWidthC is equal to 2, but SubHeightC isequal to 1, and x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples andy0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples. When the currentblock size is equal to minQtSizeIntraChroma (which is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC), according to the conditionsthat are bolded the section 1.4, a QT split is available and a BT splitis also available (since cbWidth is not greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma). However, this condition of section 1.4 violatesthe rule that is bolded in section 1.3.

In view of the above problems, this disclosure describes techniques fordetermining when split types, including BT splits, are available forchroma coding blocks. The techniques of this disclosure may enable videoencoder 200 and video decoder 300 to determine partitioning with minimalsignaling and without conflicting with other partitioning requirements.Accordingly, the techniques of this disclosure may provide for easiercoder implementations and/or improved coding efficiency.

Example 1

In a first example of the disclosure, video encoder 200 and videodecoder 300 may perform a comparison of cbWidth withminQtSizeIntraChroma in the availability check for BT splits that isaligned with the comparison of block size with minQtSizeIntraChroma inthe availability check for QT splits.

In one example, the bolded availability check for BT in section 1.4 ismodified as follows:

If all of the following conditions are true, the BT split is set asun-available

-   -   x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples    -   y0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples    -   cbWidth is greater than        minQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC

Accordingly, in one example of the disclosure, video encoder 200 andvideo decoder 300 may be configured to determine whether a binary treesplit is available for a chroma coding block of video data based on oneor more of a position of a corresponding luma coding block, a width ofthe corresponding luma coding block, a height of the corresponding lumacoding block, a picture width in luma samples, a picture height in lumasamples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size in anintra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chroma codingblock, a width of the chroma coding block, or an available of a quadtreesplit, and determine a partitioning for the chroma coding block based onthe determination of whether the binary tree split is available.

In a specific example, to determine whether the binary tree split isavailable for the chroma coding block, video encoder 200 and videodecoder 300 may be configured to determine that the binary tree split isunavailable for the chroma coding block if all of the followingconditions are true:

-   -   x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples,    -   y0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples, and    -   cbWidth is greater than        minQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC,        wherein x0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding        block in the x direction, y0 is the position of the        corresponding luma coding block in the y direction, cbWidth is        the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight is        the height of the corresponding luma coding block,        pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,        pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma        samples, minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma        quaternary tree leaf node size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is        the height of the chroma coding block based on the chroma        subsampling format, and SubWidthC is the width of the chroma        coding block based on the chroma subsampling format.

In another example of the disclosure, the availability check of QTsplits is performed first, and then the bolded availability check for BTin section 1.4 is modified as follows:

If all of the following conditions are true, the BT split is set asun-available

-   -   x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples    -   y0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples    -   QT is available

In another example of the disclosure, video encoder 200 and videodecoder 300 may be configured to determine whether a quadtree split isavailable for the chroma coding block, and determine that the binarytree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all of thefollowing conditions are true:

-   -   x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples,    -   y0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples, and the        quadtree split is available, wherein x0 is the position of the        corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is the        position of the corresponding luma coding block in the y        direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding        block, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding        block, pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma        samples, and pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in        luma samples.

Note that the above modifications to the availability check of BT splitsare applied to the chroma partitioning tree in the case of dual treepartitioning. The availability check of BT splits for the lumapartitioning tree remains the same. When combined with the chromapartitioning tree, the availability check of the BT split may be asfollows:

minQtSize is set equal to minQtSizeIntraLuma if it is luma tree;otherwise, minQtSize is set equal tominQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC.

If all of the following conditions are true, the BT split is set asun-available

-   -   x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples    -   y0+cbHeight is greater than pic_height_in_luma_samples    -   cbWidth is greater than minQtSize

Example 2

In the case of dual tree partitioning in VVC Draft 8, video encoder 200and video decoder 300 are configured infer (e.g., determine withoutsignaling) that a QT split is used if the current block size is greaterthan a threshold TH. In this context, the block size may be either theblock height or block width in samples. TH is set equal to 64 in VVCDraft 8. However, the minimum QT sizes, for both luma and chroma blocks,that are signaled at high level syntax (e.g., sequence parameter set andpicture header in VVC Draft 8) can indicate a value larger than TH. Thissituation may create an undefined situation at video decoder 300 wherethe minimum QT size is actually larger than the threshold at which a QTsplit is inferred.

In order to address the above problem, this disclosure proposes to limitthe range of the minimum QT size for dual tree partitioning such thatthe maximum value of the minimum QT size is equal to threshold TH (e.g.,the threshold size above which a QT split is inferred). The threshold THmay be any value. In one example, the threshold TH is 64 samples.

Accordingly, in Example 2 of the disclosure, video encoder 200 may beconfigured to partition a picture of video data using dual treepartitioning for luma and chroma blocks, wherein the partitioningincludes quadtree partitioning. In this example, video encoder 200 maydetermine a minimum quadtree size according to a constraint where amaximum value for the minimum quadtree size for the dual treepartitioning is equal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtreesplit. Video encoder 200 may then partition a particular block of videodata (e.g., a current block) in accordance with the minimum quadtreesize. Video encoder 200 may be further configured to refrain fromsignaling syntax elements indicating a quadtree split for a currentcoding block if a size (e.g., width or height) of the current block isgreater than the threshold.

Likewise, video decoder 300 may be configured to receive a picture ofvideo data, and determine a partitioning for the picture of video datausing dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based ona minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimumquadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtreesplit. Video decoder 300 may be further configured to infer the quadtreesplit for a current coding block if a size (e.g., width or height) ofthe current block is greater than the threshold.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for encoding acurrent block. The current block may comprise a current CU. Althoughdescribed with respect to video encoder 200 (FIGS. 1 and 3 ), it shouldbe understood that other devices may be configured to perform a methodsimilar to that of FIG. 6 .

In this example, video encoder 200 initially predicts the current block(350). For example, video encoder 200 may form a prediction block forthe current block. Video encoder 200 may then calculate a residual blockfor the current block (352). To calculate the residual block, videoencoder 200 may calculate a difference between the original, unencodedblock and the prediction block for the current block. Video encoder 200may then transform the residual block and quantize transformcoefficients of the residual block (354). Next, video encoder 200 mayscan the quantized transform coefficients of the residual block (356).During the scan, or following the scan, video encoder 200 may entropyencode the transform coefficients (358). For example, video encoder 200may encode the transform coefficients using CAVLC or CABAC. Videoencoder 200 may then output the entropy encoded data of the block (360).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for decoding acurrent block of video data. The current block may comprise a currentCU. Although described with respect to video decoder 300 (FIGS. 1 and 4), it should be understood that other devices may be configured toperform a method similar to that of FIG. 7 .

Video decoder 300 may receive entropy encoded data for the currentblock, such as entropy encoded prediction information and entropyencoded data for coefficients of a residual block corresponding to thecurrent block (370). Video decoder 300 may entropy decode the entropyencoded data to determine prediction information for the current blockand to reproduce coefficients of the residual block (372). Video decoder300 may predict the current block (374), e.g., using an intra- orinter-prediction mode as indicated by the prediction information for thecurrent block, to calculate a prediction block for the current block.Video decoder 300 may then inverse scan the reproduced coefficients(376), to create a block of quantized transform coefficients. Videodecoder 300 may then inverse quantize and inverse transform thetransform coefficients to produce a residual block (378). Video decoder300 may ultimately decode the current block by combining the predictionblock and the residual block (380).

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating another example video encodingmethod. The techniques of FIG. 8 may be performed by one or morestructural components of video encoder 200, including mode selectionunit 202.

In one example, video encoder 200 may be configured to receive a pictureof video data (400), partition the picture of video data using dual treepartitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimumquadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size isequal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtree split (402), andencode the partitioned picture (404). In one example, video encoder 200may be further configured to refrain from signaling the quadtree splitfor a current coding block if a size of the current block is greaterthan the threshold. The current coding block may be a luma coding blockor a chroma coding block.

In another example of the disclosure, video encoder 200 may beconfigured to determine whether a binary tree split is available for achroma coding block of the picture of video data based on one or more ofa position of a corresponding luma coding block, a width of thecorresponding luma coding block, a height of the corresponding lumacoding block, a picture width in luma samples, a picture height in lumasamples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size in anintra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chroma codingblock, a width of the chroma coding block, or an available of a quadtreesplit, and partition the chroma coding block based on the determinationof whether the binary tree split is available.

In one example, to determine whether the binary tree split is availablefor the chroma coding block, video encoder 200 is further configured todetermine that the binary tree split is unavailable for the chromacoding block if all of the following conditions are true: x0+cbWidth isgreater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.

In another example of the disclosure, video encoder 200 may beconfigured to determine whether a quadtree split is available for thechroma coding block, wherein to determine whether the binary tree splitis available for the chroma coding block, video encoder 200 is furtherconfigured to determine that the binary tree split is unavailable forthe chroma coding block if all of the following conditions are true:x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight isgreater than pic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split isavailable, wherein x0 is the position of the corresponding luma codingblock in the x direction, y0 is the position of the corresponding lumacoding block in the y direction, cbWidth is the width of thecorresponding luma coding block, cbHeight is the height of thecorresponding luma coding block, pic_width_in_luma_samples is thepicture width in luma samples, and pic_height_in_luma_samples is thepicture height in luma samples.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating another example video decodingmethod. The techniques of FIG. 9 may be performed by one or morestructural components of video decoder 300.

In one example, video decoder 300 may be configured to receive a pictureof video data (450), determine a partitioning for the picture of videodata using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocksbased on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for theminimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring aquadtree split (452), and decode the partitioned picture (454). In oneexample, video decoder 300 may be further configured to infer thequadtree split for a current coding block if a size of the current blockis greater than the threshold. The current coding block may be a lumacoding block or a chroma coding block.

In another example of the disclosure, video decoder 300 may beconfigured to determine whether a binary tree split is available for achroma coding block of the picture of video data based on one or more ofa position of a corresponding luma coding block, a width of thecorresponding luma coding block, a height of the corresponding lumacoding block, a picture width in luma samples, a picture height in lumasamples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size in anintra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chroma codingblock, a width of the chroma coding block, or an available of a quadtreesplit, and determine a partitioning for the chroma coding block based onthe determination of whether the binary tree split is available.

In one example, to determine whether the binary tree split is availablefor the chroma coding block, video decoder 300 is further configured todetermine that the binary tree split is unavailable for the chromacoding block if all of the following conditions are true: x0+cbWidth isgreater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.

In another example of the disclosure, video decoder 300 may beconfigured to determine whether a quadtree split is available for thechroma coding block, wherein to determine whether the binary tree splitis available for the chroma coding block, video encoder 200 is furtherconfigured to determine that the binary tree split is unavailable forthe chroma coding block if all of the following conditions are true:x0+cbWidth is greater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight isgreater than pic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split isavailable, wherein x0 is the position of the corresponding luma codingblock in the x direction, y0 is the position of the corresponding lumacoding block in the y direction, cbWidth is the width of thecorresponding luma coding block, cbHeight is the height of thecorresponding luma coding block, pic_width_in_luma_samples is thepicture width in luma samples, and pic_height_in_luma_samples is thepicture height in luma samples.

Other illustrative examples of the disclosure are described below.

Clause 1A—A method of coding video data, the method comprising:determining whether a binary tree split is available for a chroma codingblock of video data based on one or more of a position of acorresponding luma coding block, a width of the corresponding lumacoding block, a height of the corresponding luma coding block, a picturewidth in luma samples, a picture height in luma samples, a minimumallowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size in an intra slice, achroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chroma coding block, a widthof the chroma coding block, or an available of a quadtree split; anddetermining a partitioning for the chroma coding block based on thedetermination of whether the binary tree split is available.

Clause 2A—The method of Clause 1A, wherein determining whether thebinary tree split is available for the chroma coding block comprises:determining that the binary tree split is unavailable for the chromacoding block if all of the following conditions are true: x0+cbWidth isgreater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.

Clause 3A—The method of Clause 1A, further comprising: determiningwhether a quadtree split is available for the chroma coding block,wherein determining whether the binary tree split is available for thechroma coding block comprises determining that the binary tree split isunavailable for the chroma coding block if all of the followingconditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples.

Clause 4A—A method of coding video data, the method comprising:partitioning a picture of video data using dual tree partitioning forluma and chroma blocks, wherein the partitioning includes quadtreepartitioning, and wherein a maximum value for a minimum quadtree sizefor the dual tree partitioning is equal to a threshold used forinferring a quadtree split.

Clause 5A—The method of Clause 4A, further comprising: inferring thequadtree split for a current coding block if a size of the current blockis greater than the threshold.

Clause 6A—The method of any combination of Clauses 1A-5A, wherein codingcomprises decoding.

Clause 7A—The method of any combination of Clauses 1A-5A, wherein codingcomprises encoding.

Clause 8A—A device for coding video data, the device comprising one ormore means for performing the method of any of Clauses 1A-7A.

Clause 9A—The device of Clause 8A, wherein the one or more meanscomprise one or more processors implemented in circuitry.

Clause 10A—The device of any of Clauses 8A and 9A, further comprising amemory to store the video data.

Clause 11A—The device of any of Clauses 8A-10A, further comprising adisplay configured to display decoded video data.

Clause 12A—The device of any of Clauses 8A-11A, wherein the devicecomprises one or more of a camera, a computer, a mobile device, abroadcast receiver device, or a set-top box.

Clause 13A—The device of any of Clauses 8A-12A, wherein the devicecomprises a video decoder.

Clause 14A—The device of any of Clauses 8A-13A, wherein the devicecomprises a video encoder.

Clause 15A—A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereoninstructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors toperform the method of any of Clauses 1A-7A.

Clause 16A—A device comprising means for performing any of thetechniques of Clauses 1A-7A.

Clause 1B—A method of decoding video data, the method comprising:receiving a picture of video data; determining a partitioning for thepicture of video data using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks andchroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum valuefor the minimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferringa quadtree split; and decoding the partitioned picture.

Clause 2B—The method of claim 1B, further comprising: inferring thequadtree split for a current coding block if a size of the current blockis greater than the threshold.

Clause 3B—The method of claim 2B, wherein the current coding block is aluma coding block or a chroma coding block.

Clause 4B—The method of any of Clauses 1B-3B, further comprising:determining whether a binary tree split is available for a chroma codingblock of the picture of video data based on one or more of a position ofa corresponding luma coding block, a width of the corresponding lumacoding block, a height of the corresponding luma coding block, a picturewidth in luma samples, a picture height in luma samples, a minimumallowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size in an intra slice, achroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chroma coding block, a widthof the chroma coding block, or an available of a quadtree split; anddetermining a partitioning for the chroma coding block based on thedetermination of whether the binary tree split is available.

Clause 5B—The method of Clause 4B, wherein determining whether thebinary tree split is available for the chroma coding block comprises:determining that the binary tree split is unavailable for the chromacoding block if all of the following conditions are true: x0+cbWidth isgreater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.

Clause 6B—The method of Clause 4B, further comprising: determiningwhether a quadtree split is available for the chroma coding block,wherein determining whether the binary tree split is available for thechroma coding block comprises determining that the binary tree split isunavailable for the chroma coding block if all of the followingconditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples.

Clause 7B—The method of any of Clauses 1B-6B, further comprising:displaying the decoded picture.

Clause 8B—An apparatus configured to decode video data, the apparatuscomprising: a memory configured to store a picture of video data; andone or more processors implemented in circuitry and in communicationwith the memory, the one or more processors configured to: receive thepicture of video data; determine a partitioning for the picture of videodata using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocksbased on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for theminimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring aquadtree split; and decode the partitioned picture.

Clause 9B—The apparatus of Clause 8B, wherein the one or more processorsare further configured to: infer the quadtree split for a current codingblock if a size of the current block is greater than the threshold.

Clause 10B—The apparatus of Clause 9B, wherein the current coding blockis a luma coding block or a chroma coding block.

Clause 11B—The apparatus of any of Clauses 8B-10B, wherein the one ormore processors are further configured to: determine whether a binarytree split is available for a chroma coding block of the picture ofvideo data based on one or more of a position of a corresponding lumacoding block, a width of the corresponding luma coding block, a heightof the corresponding luma coding block, a picture width in luma samples,a picture height in luma samples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternarytree leaf node size in an intra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, aheight of the chroma coding block, a width of the chroma coding block,or an available of a quadtree split; and determine a partitioning forthe chroma coding block based on the determination of whether the binarytree split is available.

Clause 12B—The apparatus of Clause 11B, wherein to determine whether thebinary tree split is available for the chroma coding block, the one ormore processors are further configured to: determine that the binarytree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all of thefollowing conditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.

Clause 13B—The apparatus of Clause 11B, wherein the one or moreprocessors are further configured to: determine whether a quadtree splitis available for the chroma coding block, wherein to determine whetherthe binary tree split is available for the chroma coding block, the oneor more processors are further configured to determine that the binarytree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all of thefollowing conditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples.

Clause 14B—The apparatus of any of Clauses 8B-13B, further comprising: adisplay configured to display the decoded picture.

Clause 15B—A method of encoding video data, the method comprising:receiving a picture of video data; partitioning the picture of videodata using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocksbased on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value for theminimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring aquadtree split; and encoding the partitioned picture.

Clause 16B—The method of Clause 15B, further comprising: refraining fromsignaling the quadtree split for a current coding block if a size of thecurrent block is greater than the threshold.

Clause 17B—The method of Clause 16B, wherein the current coding block isa luma coding block or a chroma coding block.

Clause 18B—The method of Clauses 15B-17B, further comprising:determining whether a binary tree split is available for a chroma codingblock of the picture of video data based on one or more of a position ofa corresponding luma coding block, a width of the corresponding lumacoding block, a height of the corresponding luma coding block, a picturewidth in luma samples, a picture height in luma samples, a minimumallowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size in an intra slice, achroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chroma coding block, a widthof the chroma coding block, or an available of a quadtree split; andpartitioning the chroma coding block based on the determination ofwhether the binary tree split is available.

Clause 19B—The method of Clause 18B, wherein determining whether thebinary tree split is available for the chroma coding block comprises:determining that the binary tree split is unavailable for the chromacoding block if all of the following conditions are true: x0+cbWidth isgreater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.

Clause 20B—The method of Clause 18B, further comprising: determiningwhether a quadtree split is available for the chroma coding block,wherein determining whether the binary tree split is available for thechroma coding block comprises determining that the binary tree split isunavailable for the chroma coding block if all of the followingconditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples.

Clause 21B—The method of any of Clauses 15B-20B, further comprising:capturing the picture.

Clause 22B—An apparatus configured to encode video data, the apparatuscomprising: a memory configured to store a picture of video data; andone or more processors implemented in circuitry and in communicationwith the memory, the one or more processors configured to: receive thepicture of video data; partition the picture of video data using dualtree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimumquadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size isequal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtree split; and encode thepartitioned picture.

Clause 23B—The apparatus of Clause 22B, wherein the one or moreprocessors are further configured to: refrain from signaling thequadtree split for a current coding block if a size of the current blockis greater than the threshold.

Clause 24B—The apparatus of Clause 23B, wherein the current coding blockis a luma coding block or a chroma coding block.

Clause 25B—The apparatus of any of Clauses 22B-24B, wherein the one ormore processors are further configured to: determine whether a binarytree split is available for a chroma coding block of the picture ofvideo data based on one or more of a position of a corresponding lumacoding block, a width of the corresponding luma coding block, a heightof the corresponding luma coding block, a picture width in luma samples,a picture height in luma samples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternarytree leaf node size in an intra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, aheight of the chroma coding block, a width of the chroma coding block,or an available of a quadtree split; and partition the chroma codingblock based on the determination of whether the binary tree split isavailable.

Clause 26B—The apparatus of Clause 25B, wherein to determine whether thebinary tree split is available for the chroma coding block, the one ormore processors are further configured to: determine that the binarytree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all of thefollowing conditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.

Clause 27B. The apparatus of clause 25B, wherein the one or moreprocessors are further configured to: determine whether a quadtree splitis available for the chroma coding block, wherein to determine whetherthe binary tree split is available for the chroma coding block, the oneor more processors are further configured to determine that the binarytree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all of thefollowing conditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples.

Clause 28B—The apparatus of any of Clauses 22B-27B, further comprising:a camera configured to capture the picture.

It is to be recognized that depending on the example, certain acts orevents of any of the techniques described herein can be performed in adifferent sequence, may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g.,not all described acts or events are necessary for the practice of thetechniques). Moreover, in certain examples, acts or events may beperformed concurrently, e.g., through multi-threaded processing,interrupt processing, or multiple processors, rather than sequentially.

In one or more examples, the functions described may be implemented inhardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implementedin software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as oneor more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium and executedby a hardware-based processing unit. Computer-readable media may includecomputer-readable storage media, which corresponds to a tangible mediumsuch as data storage media, or communication media including any mediumthat facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place toanother, e.g., according to a communication protocol. In this manner,computer-readable media generally may correspond to (1) tangiblecomputer-readable storage media which is non-transitory or (2) acommunication medium such as a signal or carrier wave. Data storagemedia may be any available media that can be accessed by one or morecomputers or one or more processors to retrieve instructions, codeand/or data structures for implementation of the techniques described inthis disclosure. A computer program product may include acomputer-readable medium.

By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable storagemedia can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical diskstorage, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, flashmemory, or any other medium that can be used to store desired programcode in the form of instructions or data structures and that can beaccessed by a computer. Also, any connection is properly termed acomputer-readable medium. For example, if instructions are transmittedfrom a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable,fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), orwireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then thecoaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wirelesstechnologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in thedefinition of medium. It should be understood, however, thatcomputer-readable storage media and data storage media do not includeconnections, carrier waves, signals, or other transitory media, but areinstead directed to non-transitory, tangible storage media. Disk anddisc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, opticaldisc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray disc, wheredisks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce dataoptically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be includedwithin the scope of computer-readable media.

Instructions may be executed by one or more processors, such as one ormore digital signal processors (DSPs), general purpose microprocessors,application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmablegate arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logiccircuitry. Accordingly, the terms “processor” and “processingcircuitry,” as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structuresor any other structure suitable for implementation of the techniquesdescribed herein. In addition, in some aspects, the functionalitydescribed herein may be provided within dedicated hardware and/orsoftware modules configured for encoding and decoding, or incorporatedin a combined codec. Also, the techniques could be fully implemented inone or more circuits or logic elements.

The techniques of this disclosure may be implemented in a wide varietyof devices or apparatuses, including a wireless handset, an integratedcircuit (IC) or a set of ICs (e.g., a chip set). Various components,modules, or units are described in this disclosure to emphasizefunctional aspects of devices configured to perform the disclosedtechniques, but do not necessarily require realization by differenthardware units. Rather, as described above, various units may becombined in a codec hardware unit or provided by a collection ofinteroperative hardware units, including one or more processors asdescribed above, in conjunction with suitable software and/or firmware.

Various examples have been described. These and other examples arewithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of decoding video data, the methodcomprising: receiving a picture of video data; receiving a syntaxelement indicating a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum value forthe minimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferring aquadtree split; determining a partitioning for the picture of video datausing dual tree partitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based onthe syntax element; and decoding the partitioned picture.
 2. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: inferring the quadtree split for acurrent coding block if a size of the current block is greater than thethreshold.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the current coding block isa luma coding block or a chroma coding block.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising: determining whether a binary tree split is availablefor a chroma coding block of the picture of video data based on one ormore of a position of a corresponding luma coding block, a width of thecorresponding luma coding block, a height of the corresponding lumacoding block, a picture width in luma samples, a picture height in lumasamples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leaf node size in anintra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, a height of the chroma codingblock, a width of the chroma coding block, or an available of a quadtreesplit; and determining a partitioning for the chroma coding block basedon the determination of whether the binary tree split is available. 5.The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the binary tree splitis available for the chroma coding block comprises: determining that thebinary tree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all ofthe following conditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.
 6. The method of claim 4, further comprising: determiningwhether a quadtree split is available for the chroma coding block,wherein determining whether the binary tree split is available for thechroma coding block comprises determining that the binary tree split isunavailable for the chroma coding block if all of the followingconditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: displaying the decoded picture.8. An apparatus configured to decode video data, the apparatuscomprising: a memory configured to store a picture of video data; andone or more processors implemented in circuitry and in communicationwith the memory, the one or more processors configured to: receive thepicture of video data; receive a syntax element indicating a minimumquadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size isequal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtree split; determine apartitioning for the picture of video data using dual tree partitioningfor luma blocks and chroma blocks based on the syntax element; anddecode the partitioned picture.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein theone or more processors are further configured to: infer the quadtreesplit for a current coding block if a size of the current block isgreater than the threshold.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein thecurrent coding block is a luma coding block or a chroma coding block.11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors arefurther configured to: determine whether a binary tree split isavailable for a chroma coding block of the picture of video data basedon one or more of a position of a corresponding luma coding block, awidth of the corresponding luma coding block, a height of thecorresponding luma coding block, a picture width in luma samples, apicture height in luma samples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternary treeleaf node size in an intra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, a heightof the chroma coding block, a width of the chroma coding block, or anavailable of a quadtree split; and determine a partitioning for thechroma coding block based on the determination of whether the binarytree split is available.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein todetermine whether the binary tree split is available for the chromacoding block, the one or more processors are further configured to:determine that the binary tree split is unavailable for the chromacoding block if all of the following conditions are true: x0+cbWidth isgreater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or moreprocessors are further configured to: determine whether a quadtree splitis available for the chroma coding block, wherein to determine whetherthe binary tree split is available for the chroma coding block, the oneor more processors are further configured to determine that the binarytree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all of thefollowing conditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples. 14.The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a display configured todisplay the decoded picture.
 15. A method of encoding video data, themethod comprising: receiving a picture of video data; partitioning thepicture of video data using dual tree partitioning for luma blocks andchroma blocks based on a minimum quadtree size, wherein a maximum valuefor the minimum quadtree size is equal to a threshold used for inferringa quadtree split; encoding a syntax element indicating the minimumquadtree size; and encoding the partitioned picture.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising: refraining from signaling the quadtreesplit for a current coding block if a size of the current block isgreater than the threshold.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein thecurrent coding block is a luma coding block or a chroma coding block.18. The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining whether abinary tree split is available for a chroma coding block of the pictureof video data based on one or more of a position of a corresponding lumacoding block, a width of the corresponding luma coding block, a heightof the corresponding luma coding block, a picture width in luma samples,a picture height in luma samples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternarytree leaf node size in an intra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, aheight of the chroma coding block, a width of the chroma coding block,or an available of a quadtree split; and partitioning the chroma codingblock based on the determination of whether the binary tree split isavailable.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining whether thebinary tree split is available for the chroma coding block comprises:determining that the binary tree split is unavailable for the chromacoding block if all of the following conditions are true: x0+cbWidth isgreater than pic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: determiningwhether a quadtree split is available for the chroma coding block,wherein determining whether the binary tree split is available for thechroma coding block comprises determining that the binary tree split isunavailable for the chroma coding block if all of the followingconditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples. 21.The method of claim 15, further comprising: capturing the picture. 22.An apparatus configured to encode video data, the apparatus comprising:a memory configured to store a picture of video data; and one or moreprocessors implemented in circuitry and in communication with thememory, the one or more processors configured to: receive the picture ofvideo data; partition the picture of video data using dual treepartitioning for luma blocks and chroma blocks based on a minimumquadtree size, wherein a maximum value for the minimum quadtree size isequal to a threshold used for inferring a quadtree split; encode asyntax element indicating the minimum quadtree size; and encode thepartitioned picture.
 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the one ormore processors are further configured to: refrain from signaling thequadtree split for a current coding block if a size of the current blockis greater than the threshold.
 24. The apparatus of claim 23, whereinthe current coding block is a luma coding block or a chroma codingblock.
 25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the one or more processorsare further configured to: determine whether a binary tree split isavailable for a chroma coding block of the picture of video data basedon one or more of a position of a corresponding luma coding block, awidth of the corresponding luma coding block, a height of thecorresponding luma coding block, a picture width in luma samples, apicture height in luma samples, a minimum allowed chroma quaternary treeleaf node size in an intra slice, a chroma sub-sampling format, a heightof the chroma coding block, a width of the chroma coding block, or anavailable of a quadtree split; and partition the chroma coding blockbased on the determination of whether the binary tree split isavailable.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein to determine whetherthe binary tree split is available for the chroma coding block, the oneor more processors are further configured to: determine that the binarytree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all of thefollowing conditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and cbWidth is greater thanminQtSizeIntraChroma*SubHeightC/SubWidthC, wherein x0 is the position ofthe corresponding luma coding block in the x direction, y0 is theposition of the corresponding luma coding block in the y direction,cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma coding block, cbHeight isthe height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples,pic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples,minQtSizeIntraChroma is the minimum allowed chroma quaternary tree leafnode size in the intra slice, SubHeightC is the height of the chromacoding block based on the chroma subsampling format, and SubWidthC isthe width of the chroma coding block based on the chroma subsamplingformat.
 27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or moreprocessors are further configured to: determine whether a quadtree splitis available for the chroma coding block, wherein to determine whetherthe binary tree split is available for the chroma coding block, the oneor more processors are further configured to determine that the binarytree split is unavailable for the chroma coding block if all of thefollowing conditions are true: x0+cbWidth is greater thanpic_width_in_luma_samples, y0+cbHeight is greater thanpic_height_in_luma_samples, and the quadtree split is available, whereinx0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block in the xdirection, y0 is the position of the corresponding luma coding block inthe y direction, cbWidth is the width of the corresponding luma codingblock, cbHeight is the height of the corresponding luma coding block,pic_width_in_luma_samples is the picture width in luma samples, andpic_height_in_luma_samples is the picture height in luma samples. 28.The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising: a camera configured tocapture the picture.